THE GAME RULES. This megagame is about the emergence of civil war in a fictional African country.

Transcription

1 THE GAME RULES This megagame is about the emergence of civil war in a fictional African country. Participants are organised into teams of varying sizes reflecting the primary actors involved in the emerging crisis. Whilst there are some game structures, rules and procedures, the main driving force is the dynamic, face to face, interaction between players representing the various actors in the crisis. The game structure is a mix of a boardgame and role play, in that the movement and location / strengths of forces are displayed on a map board, while the personal interactions are managed by the actors role-playing their personal and organisational objectives. A large part of the game is about the responses of the international community to the emerging crisis. There is a large section of the game which is set in New York and around the United Nations Security Council. 1 Past Perspectives 2016

2 Issues that the game seeks to address include The 'wicked problem' nature of the situation. There is no 'DS Solution'. The tensions and frictions around UN or international involvement. The nature of 'emergence' in the game-play. Events can take sudden changes of direction through complex player-interactions. That said No game survives first contact with the players, and the open-ended nature of War In Binni means that the narrative flow is likely to create unexpected insights perhaps that the civil war doesn't happen, or that the fighting is so apocalyptic or decisive that it is over quickly. This flexibility of end-state is of the nature of the megagame format. Reality Trumps Rules The game rules and procedures are intended as a framework of guidelines for some basic effects. However, the game rules can and will be modified in play by CONTROL where that better reflects reality. Players can also suggest additional actions or options to CONTROL who will adjudicate the results of player 'wizard wheezes'. Matrix arguments may be used too. Game Turns The game is run in turns during which all map actions are simultaneous with discussions, planning and political shenanigans. Each turn represents a week. We will take 30 minutes to play each turn. Megagames work to a strict time-scale the game will move on every 30 minutes regardless. See the game timetable below. 2 Past Perspectives 2016

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4 GAME TIMETABLE 09:40 10:00 Plenary Briefing on Megagames and War In Binni 10:00 10:15 Casting and organisation team briefing packs handed out. 10:15 11:15 Team Familiarisation teams gather in their groups and get to grips with the team briefing and potential actions etc. 11:15 12:00 Week One (longer first turn) to incorporate drinks in Great Hall entrance available from 11:45 12:00 12:30 Week Two 12:30 13:00 Week Three 13:00 14:00 Lunch Terrace Café 14:00 14:30 Week Four 14:30 15:00 Week Five 15:00 15:30 Week Six 15:30 16:00 Week Seven 16:00 16:30 Week Eight 16:30 16:45 Endex and initial wind-down discussion. 16:45 17:10 Drinks Great Hall Entrance 17:10 18:00 After action review. 4 Past Perspectives 2016

5 CONTROL OF TOWNS The success or otherwise of a faction in Binni is determined by controlling towns and cities and key infrastructure (such as power plans or dams). Each town and city has a CONTROL marker on it indicating who holds it. Control can be changed by Moving a combat unit onto the place and remaining there for a complete turn. Using INFLUENCE CARDS (see below) to convince the locals to accept your control. Players can use any number of INFLUENCE CARDS and add up the scores. Highest score wins. All INFLUENCE CARDS, whether attacking or defending, are consumed in the process. Voluntarily handing over. A player team can always choose to give up control of a place to another faction. 5 Past Perspectives 2016

6 INFLUENCE CARDS & PR These cards represent combinations of political pressure, personal favours, media & information operations, intimidation and promises. They have a variety of uses: Influencing a handover of control of a place. Influencing non-played actors to do something you want. For example, UN teams getting additional budget or resources from a home government. Trading with other players for favours. Any other use players come up with that seems reasonable and consistent with reality. A team can only hold a certain number of influence cards in a turn. These are spent during the turn and at the end of the turn the number is topped up to the maximum for the following turn. The number varies according to the PUBLIC RELATIONS value of the team. This is shown on a PR Track for each team. Things that vary the PR score will include things like: Positive reporting in the International News Media Negative reporting in the International News Media Breaking international law (for example going to war without an acceptable Casus Belli) Causing high levels of collateral effects. Acting contrary to the expectations or interests of your key stakeholders or supporters. 6 Past Perspectives 2016

7 UNITS AND CAPABILITIES Military capability is simplified into a few types of unit. COMBAT BRIGADE The most powerful units are the Combat Brigades (regional actors have a variety of units like this). They cost $M4 to deploy from outside the region. They cost $M1 to activate and move if inside the region. To attack they consume 4 Warlike Stores. ARMED MILITIA The most common type of unit for the competing factions within Binni. They can move around at no cost. To attack they consume 1 Warlike Store. SPECIAL FORCES These are very small but highly capable units. They increase the effectiveness of bombing or cruise missiles. They are able to deploy anywhere for a cost of $M2 per turn. To attack they consume 1 Warlike Store. To spot targets for bombing or cruise missiles they do not consume warlike stores. 7 Past Perspectives 2016

8 CRUISE MISSILE A weapon with enormous range and able to hit anywhere. Its combat value is increased if there are friendly Special Forces near the target. They are expensive and are only in limited numbers. If fired on a unit roll 1d6 +1 if special forces are 'spotting' Score 1 = 1 Collateral Effect (see below) Score 2 or 3 = No effect Score 4 = 1 hit and 1 Collateral Effect Score 5 or 6 = 1 hit If used in support of a ground combat add its combat value of 1 BOMBING MISSION A weapon with enormous range and able to hit anywhere. Its combat value is increased if there are friendly Special Forces near the target. These can be used every turn if the political will exists. If attacking a unit roll 1d6 +1 if special forces are 'spotting' Score 1 or 2 = 1 Collateral Effect Score 3 = No effect Score 4 or 5 = 1 hit and 1 Collateral Effect Score 6 = 2 hits If used in support of a ground combat add its combat value of 2 8 Past Perspectives 2016

9 WARLIKE STORES These are represented by red blocks. These are essential for any sort of fighting (see below). Warlike Stores are used to: Activate some types of unit (brigades and militias) To increase the combat value of a force when fighting (see 'Fighting' below). To rebuild damaged units. 3 Warlike Stores are needed to recover one LOSS. Note that destroyed units cannot be re-constituted in this way. As a trade item to buy or sell for profit. Warlike Stores are not manufactured in Binni, Mouella, Agadez or Gao. All resupplies of Warlike Stores come from the international community or international arms dealers. MOVEMENT Units move along roads from town to town. Movement is unlimited through empty or friendly towns but on reaching a town that is under the control of a different faction they must stop and not enter that town. EXCEPTIONS a unit can move into a town controlled by another faction (but not occupied by hostile military forces) for the expenditure of EITHER ONE INFLUENCE CARD OR $M1. Special Forces can move into a town controlled by another faction (but not occupied by hostile military forces). 9 Past Perspectives 2016

10 FIGHTING Combat is generally quite indecisive unless there are considerable differentials in combat value. Any unit can only attack once per week. It can, of course, always defend itself. Add up the combat value (the number on the unit counter) of each side in a fight. Remember that units need to expend Warlike Stores in order to attack. Additional Warlike Stores can be used up in the fight to increase combat value. +1 combat value per 2 warlike stores consumed in a fight. Both attacker and defender can consume stores in this way. The Combat Result Table One side is described as the attacker in an encounter this is usually the strongest force. Calculate the combat odds based on Combat Value and roll one die. Attacks at less that 1:1 are always aborted before the fight starts with no loss to either side. Die Score 1:1 3:2 2:1 3:1 4:1 or more Die Score 1 LOSE LOSE LOSE DRAW DRAW 1 2 LOSE DRAW DRAW DRAW 3 DRAW DRAW DRAW 4 DRAW 5 6 PYRRHIC PYRRHIC DRAW PYRRHIC PYRRHIC PYRRHIC Past Perspectives 2016

11 Explanation of the results Effect on Result Attacker Effect on Defender THE GAME RULES Other effects LOSE ONE LOSS NO LOSS Defender holds position. DRAW ONE LOSS ONE LOSS Defender holds position. PYRRHIC ONE LOSS ONE LOSS NO LOSS ONE LOSS Defender must retreat from position. If retreat is impossible then remain in position and take an additional hit. Defender must retreat from position. If retreat is impossible then remain in position and take an additional hit. COLLATERAL EFFECTS This is represented by a 'displaced people' counter. These people will move. Without humanitarian aid they will start to die after a few weeks. Any surplus people will move to the next town furthest from conflict and towards co-religionists or 'safe' areas (such as humanitarian camps or the location of aid). A town on the map can sustain 2 displaced people. HUMANITARIAN AID This is represented by green blocks. One block is needed to assist one people counter. Aid blocks can also be used to set up camps it costs 3 blocks and $M1 to set up a camp that can accommodate 4 people. Aid blocks are initially moved by the owning player and move like units that is they can move as far as they want from town to town until a faction stops them. Once they pass into an area controlled by a faction they are moved by that faction unless accompanied by a miltary unit, in which case they move with the unit at all times. All resupplies of Aid come from the international community or United Nations Agencies. 11 Past Perspectives 2016